SEPTEMBER 6, 1948
LYNCH RE-UPS WITH MONTREAL
The Montreal Valiants have had a change of heart and resigned their veteran captain Doug Lynch after initially refusing to extend his contract. The 35-year-old, who had 14 goals and 39 points in 54 games last season, was cut loose in a purge of the team that included the release of goaltender Millard Touhey, defenseman Leo Bernard and forward Max Ducharme. Lynch, who has been the club's captain since 1940, was the only player to return to Montreal as Ducharme signed with the Chicago Packers while Bernard was contracted by the Toledo Tigers of the Hockey Association of America.
Touhey's fate is once more up in the air as the 32-year-old goaltender was signed by the Syracuse Lancers of the HAA but was surprisingly let go from his contract a week later amidst speculation he failed his physical. The 32-year-old has displayed periods of greatness in his 5 seasons with Montreal but has also come under fire for his conditioning and focus at times.
OTHER HEADLINES THIS WEEK
- The Philadelphia Sailors have closed to within a game of first place New York as the Sailors attempt to overtake the Stars and win their second consecutive Continental Association pennant. In the Federal Association, the St Louis Pioneers lead on Washington is 2 games.
- Pat Chappell threw for 232 yards and 5 touchdowns to lead the Kansas City Cowboys to a 48-14 drubbing of the Los Angeles Lobos in the Continental Football Conference opener for the two-time defending league champions.
- World champion Mac Erickson had little trouble in his first defense of the welterweight crown, scoring a third round knockout win over John Gregory at Chicago's Lakeside Auditorium.
- Russian and Western military governors of Germany met in a so far unsuccessful attempt to deal with East-West problems on both the blockade of Berlin and deciding on a currency solution. But at weeks end came reports that the Russians were making arrangements to end the 72-day-old blockade.
- Men born in 1923 began registering for the peace-time draft this past week.
- A trucking strike in New York City has halted the movement of all general cargo in and out of the city. Ports on the Pacific coast were idle this week as well after longshoremen quit work and prepared with allied unions for a strike.
Full national sports coverage is available in this week's edition of
THIS WEEK IN FIGMENT BASEBALL.